A cassette containing booklet covers and a method for filling the same

Abstract: The invention relates to a cassette (K) for use in a device for manufacturing booklets, each booklet comprising a cover (A) made up from two cover sheets with a spine therebetween and a sheaf of papers (B) inserted between the cover sheets. According to the invention, the cassette (K) contains a stack of covers (A), all of which are brought together such that the inside of the spine of a cover is located opposite the outside of the spine of an adjacent cover. The cassette (K) is provided with a first opening (K1) through which the covers may be fed out, and support means (K3) holding the stack of covers in a selected position in the cassette, The invention also relates to the filling of such a cassette.

Description: Technical field The present invention relates to a cassette of the kind specified in the preamble of claim 1. The cassette is intended for use in a device for manufacturing booklets comprising a cover made up of two cover sheets, a spine therebetween, and a bead of glue attached to the inside of the spine, as well as a sheaf of papers inserted between the two cover sheets, one side edge of the sheaf being connected with the inside of the spine by means of the bead of glue. The invention also relates to a method for filling such a cassette. Background art Booklets of the kind described above are usually manufactured in the following way: A flat sheet of cardboard and/or plastic is folded such that it is divided into two cover sheets and a spine forming a cover. A bead of melt glue is attached to the inside of the spine. This is done by melting the bead and then letting it solidify on cooling whereby it will adhere to the spine. The cover sheets are then folded towards each other such as to form a cover, the bead of glue being oriented between the cover sheets. When the finished covers have been packed and distributed, the user will take a cover out of the package and insert a sheaf of papers in the cover such that the side edge of said sheaf will bear against the bead of glue. He will then insert the cover containing the sheaf of papers into a binding machine, for example, of the kind disclosed in SE-B 434 367, such that the outside of the spine will get into contact with a heating plate. After a certain amount of time, the glue will melt and the sheaf of papers will sink into it. The user will then remove the cover containing the sheaf of papers from the machine and the glue will be allowed to cool, the side edges of the sheaf of papers adhering to the spine. From US-A-2,549,890 there is previously known a machine for the manufacture of books. Book blocks are provided with glue on their lateral surfaces and are inserted into covers which, one at a time, will fall from a magazine in the machine. Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to attain a cassette that will make it possible to improve known methods and devices in order to reduce the amount of manual handling, increase the manufacturing speed and improve the quality of the finished booklets. This object is achieved by the invention presenting the features disclosed in the characterizing portion of claim 1 and by the method having the features specified in the characterizing portion of claim 8. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a cassette according to the present invention in its location in a booklet binding device, Fig. 2 is a section along the line II-II in Fig.1, and Fig. 3 is a side view showing a detail of the device of Figs. 1 and 2 on an enlarged scale. Preferred embodiment The device shown in Fig. 1 is built into a machine provided with a support 1 having wheels 2. The main parts of the machine are a device in the form of a platform 10, receiving a sheaf of papers B, the sheets of paper of which are not interconnected, from a copying machine (not shown) or a (laser)printer, a device 3, transporting the sheaf of papers to an assembly device 4, a device 5 for taking covers A out of cassette K and transporting one cover at a time to device 4, a device 6 for collecting covers containing sheaves of papers, which covers have been fed out from the assembly device 4, a device 7 for activation of a binding agent on the spine of each cover A, so as to connect the sheaf of papers in the cover with the spine thereof, a device 8 for jogging up the sheaves of papers in the covers in connection with their passing through the activation device 7, and a device 9 for carrying away booklets H comprising sheaves of papers B bound into the covers A. The transport device 3 for the sheaves of papers B includes a plate 12 which is insertable between the platform 10 and and a sheaf of papers B resting thereon, the plate being mounted at 11a on an arm 1 mounted at 12 to which arm a reciprocating pivotig movement is imparted by a driving device (not shown). Said pivoting movement in one direction (clockwise) is indicated by the arrow P1. A reciprocating pivoting movement is imparted also to the plate 12 on the arm 11 by a driving device (not shown). Said pivoting movement in one direction (counter-clockwise) is indicated by the arrow P2. On the plate 12 there is mounted, at 14, a holding means 15 to which is imparted, by a driving device (not shown), a pivoting movement between a position in which the holding means presses a sheaf of papers B lying on the plate 12 onto the same, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, and a position in which the holding means is at a distance from th sheaf of papers, as shown in dash dotted lines in Fig. 1. The sheaf of papers B usually consists of a sheaf of sheets of paper of the same size (A4) which are not interconnected. Further, the sheaf of papers B may contain so called index sheets having portions on which letters and/or numbers are printed, which portions project beyond the other sheets of the sheaf of papers. In Fig. 2 there is shown a sheaf of this kind containing 10 index sheets B1 provided with numerals 1 - 10. As is evident from the figure, the index sheets B1 are designed such that no portions of the same project beyond the upper side edge of the sheaf of papers B in the two areas adjacent to the two end edges of the sheaf of papers. Each of the covers A consists of a sheet of cardboard and/or plastics material provided with creasing line along which the sheet is folded and which define two cover sheets and a spine therebetween. On the inside of the spine there is attached a binding agent, usually consisting of a bead of glue of a thermoplastic material, which at room temperature i solid but will become plastic when heated. A major number of covers A are packed in containers or cassettes K according to the invention, intended to be inserted into the machine in a manner shown on the drawings and to be described below. Each cassette K consists of a box of cardboard or the like which is closed during storage and transportation. The cassette is provided with weakenings (not shown) so that a portion of the cassette is easily removable to expose an opening K1, through which the covers A may be taken out of the cassette. Opposite the opening K1, the cassette K has an abutment K2 which, for example, is integral with the cassette and which centers the covers therein. The cassette K also contains a support means K3, preferably in the form of a cardboard wedge extending between two of the side walls of the cassette, which cardboard wedge is displaceable within the cassette obliquely upwards-downwards as shown in Fig. 1. An empty cassette K is filled with covers A by inserting a stack of covers, which bear against each other and form a V-shape, for example, through the base of the cassette, whereupon the wedge K3 is likewise inserted through the base and into the space in the innermost cover. The base is then closed. In the filled cassette K the outermost cover A bears against the abutment K2 and against a non-illustrated cap portion of the cassette, identical with the abutment, which portion will later be removed on opening of the cassette so as to form the opening K1. Said cover in turn bears against another cover such that the binding agent on the spine of the first-mentioned cover is located opposite and in contact with the outside of the spine of the last-mentioned cover or is located at a short distance therefrom. By means of the abutment K1, said portion and the wedge K3, it is ensured that the covers will be centered and that they will keep their V-shape in the cassette. On the drawings there are shown two parallel-epipedic cassettes K, without caps, inserted beside each other in the machine. More specifically, each cassette is detachably inserted in a slider 16 and 17, respectively, which is easily slidable, by means of wheels 18 and expanding bars 22, from a position shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 2 outwardly of the machine support 1 to a position inside the machine as shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2. When one of the sliders 16, 17 containing a cassette K is pushed into the machine, a sword 19 disposed in the machine will penetrate one of the side walls of the cassette and will be inserted in the wedge K3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The sword 19 will then be displaced upwards by a reversible motor 20 which is connected with the sword by means of a belt 21. Said displacement will cause the wedge K3 to be displaced upwards in the cassette carrying with it the covers A while the sword 19 is cutting a slot in the side wall of the cassette. In order to facilitate said cutting, the side wall may, for example, be perforated. The displacement of the sword, the wedge and the covers will continue until the spine portion of the uppermost (outermost) cover A acts on a photocell means (not shown) disposed above the cassette K which will give an impulse to the motor 20 to stop. The device 5, which is best shown in Fig. 3, includes a reciprocating endless conveyor belt 23 driven by a reversible motor (not shown). In the space between the upper and lower parts of the conveyor belt 23, there is a rail 24, a vertically slideable projection 25 and a fixed projection 26. A slider 27 is horizontally slidably mounted on the rail 24. The slider 27 carries a wheel 28. Between the wheel 28 and the shaft 28a, on which the wheel is rotatably mounted on the slider, acts a helical spring 30. The belt 23 passes over the wheel 28 and under two rolls 29 rotatably mounted on either side of the wheel in the slider 27. The shaft 28a supports a wheel 31. On the slider 27 there is rotatably mounted a long shaft 34. A wheel 32 is attached to the shaft 34. The wheels 31 and 32 are interconnected by means of an endless belt 33. The shaft 34, which is hollow, supports four hollow arms with suction cups 33. The end of shaft 34 which is not mounted in the slider 27, is rotatably mounted on the machine support 1, at 36. A vacuum source (not shown) is connected with the shaft at 36. When the belt 23 is moved in such a way that its upper part moves towards the right in Figs. 1 and 3, the slider 27 will also be moved in this direction. When a damping means 37 attached to the slider strikes the stop 25, the slider will stop moving, but the belt 23 will continue its movement while turning the wheel 28 clockwise and the spring 30 being streched. During the turning of the wheel 28, the shaft 28a will be turned, too. As a result of the turning of the wheel 28, and therefore of the wheel 31, also the wheel 32 will be turned via the belt 33, implying that the shaft 34 and therefore the suction cup 35 will be turned clockwise approximately 180°. At the end of this movement, the suction cups 35 will strike the uppermost cover A in the left-hand cassette K in Fig. 1 and, when the desired vaccum has been achieved, an impulse will be given to the drive motor of the belt 23 to change the sense of rotation of the belt. During the return motion of the belt 23, the force in the stretched spring 30 will be released such that the shaft 34 will be turned back towards its initial position shown in Fig. 3, and the suction cups 35 will remove the cover A from the cassette K. When the shaft 34 has reached the initial position, the slider 27 will start its return motion towards its initial position shown in Fig. 3, and on reaching said position, an impulse will be given to said vacuum source to stop the suction in the suction cups 35, whereby the cover will be released and will fall from the position shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrow P3. The stop 25 may be moved from the position in Fig. 1 in order not to prevent the slider 27 from being moved to a position in which it is stopped by the projection 26 above the right-hand cassette K. Said movement takes place on an impulse from the machine or the machine oparator when covers A are to be collected from the right-hand cassette, which should be done when the left-hand cassette is empty or when covers of other size or kind are to be used instead of the covers in the left-hand cassette. The assembly device 4 comprises a holder or a gap having two side walls 38 and 39 opposing each other at an angle of approximately 45°. The bottom of the gap 38, 39 is defined by a roll 40 rotatable by a non-illustrated motor and having a shoulder 41 as well as by a counter roll 44, driven by a spring, which counter roll is freely rotatable towards the roll 40. The side walls 38 and 39 are provided with a fixed suction cup 42 and a movable suction cup 43 respectively, which are connected to a vacuum source (not shown). When the device 5 has delivered a cover A, said cover will fall partially opened into the device 4. The cover is held in this partially opened position by the activated suction cups 42 and 43. When the spine of the cover A has been brought to bear against the shoulder 41, the arm 11 will be pivoted in the direction of the arrow P1 and the platform in the direction of the arrow P2, so that the sheaf of papers B will be placed in the cover with one side edge of the same bearing against the inside of the spine, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. The holding means 15 will then be acted on such that it will let go of the sheaf of papers B, and the arm 11 and platform 10 will then be returned to their positions shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. The roll 40 will then be rotated counter-clockwise, and the shoulder 41 will get out of contact with the spine of the cover A. The counter roll 44 will then be moved to the right in Fig. 1 and will clamp the cover A containing a sheaf of papers B against the periphery of the roll 40 above the shoulder 41. On continued rotation of the rolls 41, 44, the cover and the sheaf of papers will be fed by said rolls in the direction of the arrow P4 and will fall into the inclining collecting device 6. The booklets then pass from the collecting device 6 via the activation device 7 and the jogging-up device 8 to a transport device 9. These stages in the manufacturing process of the booklets are not particularly closely related to the function of the cassette so that a detailed description of these stages should not be necessary in order to explain the present invention.

Claims: A cassette (K) for use in a device for manufacturing booklets, each booklet comprising a cover (A) made up of two cover sheets and a spine therebetween, a sheaf of papers (B) inserted between the two cover sheets of the cover, one side edge of the sheaf being connected with the inside of the spine by means of a binding agent, which device is provided with means (3 - 5) for bringing together a cover fed out from the cassette with a sheaf of papers as well as with an activation means (7) for connecting one side edge of the sheaf of papers to the inside of the spine, wherein it contains a stack of covers (A) all of which are brought together such that the inside of the spine of a cover is located opposite the outside of the spine of an adjacent cover, it is provided with a first opening (K1) through which the covers may be fed out, and a support means (K3) holding the stack of covers in a selected position in the cassette. A cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that it is detachably inserted in said device for interaction with the transport means (5) for moving a cover (A) at the time to a position at a distance from the cassette. A cassette according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the covers (A) preferably form a V-shape and bear against each other. A cassette according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterized in that it is provided with at least a second opening, preferably a slot, through which the stack of covers (A) is available for being moved within the cassette. A cassette according to any of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the support element is preferably formed as a wedge (K3) bearing on the covers situated farthest away from the first opening (K1) and that the support means may be acted on for moving the stack of covers (A) towards said opening. A cassette according to any of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that it is provided with a removable cap for exposing the first opening (K1) and with a wall which is or will be provided with a slot by an actuation means (19 - 21) for acting on the support means (K3) and therefore for moving the stack of covers (A). A cassette according to any of claims 1 - 6, characterized in that the first opening (K1) is delimited by an abutment (K2) for locating, such as centering, the stack of covers (A) in the cassette. A method for filling a cassette (K) with covers (A) each of which is made up of two cover sheets and a spine therebetween and which, on opening of the cassette, is intended to be taken out of the same and to be connected, via the spine, to a sheaf of papers (B), wherein the covers (A) are brought together into a stack, such that the inside of the spine of a cover is located opposite the outside of the spine of an adjacent cover, in which stack they bear against each other, preferably forming a V-shape, the stack is placed on a support means (K3) in the cassette such that the innermost or outermost cover will be brought to bear against the support means. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the stack of covers (A) is placed on a support means (3) displaceable within the cassette.

Inventors: LATVAKANGAS URPO, SABELSTROEM JAN, LATVAKANGAS, URPO, SABELSTROEM, JAN, Sabelström, Jan
Applicants: LATVAKANGAS URPO, SABELSTROEM JAN, LATVAKANGAS, URPO, SABELSTROEM, JAN
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65H1
IPC codes: B65H1